Fluid transportation in pipelines is well understood. The current engineering paradigm to move fluids in a pipeline is through the design and use of “pressure driven” systems. This means that in order for a fluid to move in a pipeline, the pressure at the inlet to a pipe section must be higher than the pressure at the outlet of the pipe section. To increase pressure in the pipeline, a compressor or pumping facility is added to the pipeline system at strategic point sources as determined by the pipeline system's hydraulic profile.
The throughput capacity of these systems is determined by: 1) the pipe diameter; 2) the inlet pressure of the pipe section and; 3) the pressure differential between the ends of the pipe section. Increases in pipe diameter, inlet pressure and pressure differential yield increases in throughput. These variables are optimized for a given throughput during the design of any pressure driven pipeline system.
A significant drawback of the “pressure driven” system is that they induce very low fluid velocities. For example, in operating large diameter pipeline systems, fluid velocities typically range in the order of 6-16 km/hr depending upon the type of fluid being transported.
Existing pipelines continue to deteriorate through corrosion, stress corrosion cracking and metal fatigue. With incorporation of systems for higher fluid velocities it would allow the existing pipelines to operate at lower pressures without decreasing throughput. Therefore, the operating and economic life of the pipeline would be extended without unduly compromising health, safety or the environment.
As new pipelines are required, incorporation of systems to increase fluid velocities would dramatically reduce the size of pipe required under conventional pressure driven designs. This translates into substantial savings in material and installation costs and the viability of pipelining products to market is greatly enhanced.
From a customer service perspective, a pipeline fitted with high velocity systems would allow for significant increases in throughput without the need for pipeline looping or additional pressurization facilities. By avoiding the lengthy process (which typically exceeds one year for large diameter pipelines) of planning, designing, permitting, acquiring rights-of-way and constructing facilities, customer requests for new transportation services are accommodated immediately.
From a resource management perspective, a faster flowing fluid gets the product to the market quicker and the pipeline system can respond quicker to changes in demand for the product or to commodity price fluctuations for the fluid in the pipeline.
With the use of high velocity systems, other products which are conventionally transported by truck or rail, can be more economically transported by pipelines. In fact, any product that will flow (e.g. Coal slurries) or can be fluidized (e.g. Grain) can be accommodated by higher velocity pipeline systems.
From an environmental perspective, the use of higher velocity pipeline systems minimizes the emission of greenhouse gases, minimizes land use and eliminates destruction of wildlife habitat associated with constructing new pipelines.
From an economic point of view if the speed of fluid passing through the pipeline is doubled, the capacity of the pipeline is doubled.